Izu Islands, Volcanic archipelago in Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
The Izu Islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean that belong to Tokyo Prefecture and stretch more than 300 km south of the mainland. The nine main islands show landscapes ranging from black sand beaches to green hills, crossed by hot springs and coastal hiking trails.
During the Edo period, the government used several of these islands as exile destinations for political prisoners and criminals from the capital. The remote location made escape nearly impossible and shaped the early settlement patterns of the outer territories.
Each inhabited island has developed its own customs, visible in local seafood dishes and handcrafted goods sold at small harbors. Fishing boats return daily with fresh catches that are prepared in family-run restaurants along the waterfront.
Ferries run regularly from Tokyo, with closer islands reachable in a few hours and more distant ones requiring overnight travel. Small aircraft connect some islands to the mainland and reduce travel time significantly.
Aogashima possesses a rare double caldera structure, where a smaller volcanic cone rises inside the larger crater. Despite occasional seismic activity, around 160 people live there permanently, supported mainly by fishing and salt production from geothermal steam.
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